(urth) The Wizard - do not read until Jan 1

StoneOx17 at aol.com StoneOx17 at aol.com
Mon Jan 3 07:54:05 PST 2005


>In a message dated 1/3/2005 7:22:55 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
> abollen at internode.on.net writes:

> When Able delivers the message to Arnthor, the first part is from the Aelf, 
> with rather naive and general adjurations towards justice and mercy. Then 
> Able, speaking for himself, gives practical examples of better rule - fair 
> taxation and self-determination.  Well within the political background 
> knowledge of a modern American kid who listened in class!

Very nice point.

> This might seem a bit hokey, but personally I didn't mind it. I was hoping 
> for more flashes of the story of the "real" Able, in our world.

> Questions Wizard left me with:

> - Who rules after Arnthor? My guess: Beel (or perhaps Idnn). There is 
> discussion towards the end of the book about why Gaynor, Morcaine and 
Marder 
> are all unsuitable. Beel & Idnn are close to the line of succession and it 
> would be a nice happy ending for Beel, to finally get what he has wanted 
for 
> so long.

Beel is only a baron, not even a duke.  Wouldn't that make it hard for him to
claim the throne?

How about Smiler?  It seems that if he married Gaynor (or Morcaine), then he 
would have a good claim to the throne, and his dragon soldiers would make it
difficult for any of the dukes to challenge him.  

> - What did Able say to Lothur to change the "sons of the Dragon" enemies to 
> "Lothurling" allies? Presumably it had to do with a revelation of Able's 
slaying 
> of Grengarm (the "Dragon") and Lothur taking over the role of tutelary 
> deity.

I thought he rode down on Cloud, kidnapped Smiler, and threatened to kill 
him if he didn't cooperate.  There's a throwaway remark (I'd find it but I 
don't 
have my copy at hand) later that made me assume this was the case.   Able
might also have mentioned that the throne would be vacant soon, with no 
reasonable claimants in sight, and that it might easily be gained by an
appropriate marriage.  

> - What did Kulili show to Able which he will only talk about with one 
> "greater than the Valfather"?

> - Like Able, I can't think of any reason why Berthold appeared as Ben when 
> Able wore the magic helm at the end of the story. The Valfather as bright 
> shadow seems more straightforward - there is one True God, and the powers 
> between us and Him protect us from the full glare of His love etc etc. When 
> Able breaks his oath and chooses Disiri over the Valfather, he is acting in 
> accordance with a higher will (as the Valfather recognizes).

> - The lowest God. Clearly he is the source of the theological inversion 
> poisoning the worlds, and presumably the "great secret" of the heresies is 
> the Highest = Lowest lie he tells Able, and the claim that God is 
> Janus-faced. But is he your normal fallen angel, or another kind of being; 
> and why does he have wounds on his back? Plucked wings?

> - We get creation stories down to Aelfrice, for worlds and inhabitants, but 
> not for Muspel and Niflheim, as I recall. Are we supposed to make up our 
> own? Perhaps the Dragons are discarded parts of Kulili, grown monstrous.

Good questions.  I'll add one of my own.  Able's mother and brother both show 
up in Mythgarthr, but how about his father?  Is there any mention of him?  
Has 
he somehow been incorporated into the Valfather?

- Stone Ox (Peter)
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